NEW and upgraded community facilities costing $5.5 million are proposed by the owner of the former Darrell Lea site in Kogarah as a "trade-off" for development approval.
A voluntary planning agreement negotiated with Rockdale Council includes traffic management improvements around the Rocky Point Road property, upgrades to sporting fields, Scarborough Park and Production Lane, a new playground and new childcare centre. But the offer is conditional to approval of the modified master plan, which was exhibited for community comment in October.
The Department of Planning and Environment, rather than Rockdale Council, is the consent authority for the project, which requires rezoning of the 3.3-hectare site to provide about 450 homes and commercial spaces.
The council, in December, considered a report by staff following public consultation.
The report recommended changes to floor-space ratios and cutting building heights by one to three storeys, reducing the tallest from 38 metres (11 to 12 storeys) to 31 metres.
However, the council, on the casting vote of mayor Bill Saravinovski, decided to "receive and note" the report and public submissions and refer them to the Department of Planning and Environment for consideration.
The council expressed support for the voluntary planning agreement.
Cr Saravinovski told the Leader "if the department is the consent authority, it should make the decisions".
"It is not as if we haven't made our position on these issues clear already," he said.
Cr Andrew Tsounis, who always opposed the size and scale of the development, said the council should have taken a stronger stance and negotiated a stronger voluntary planning agreement.
He envisaged "issues with the lack of infrastructure".
NEW OWNERS SOUGHT FOR SITE
The Lea family is severing its connection with the site of its former chocolate making business, which was placed in voluntary liquidation in 2012.
The property was advertised ‘‘for sale by international tender’’, with expressions of interest to close on November 25. Peter Krieg, of CBRE, one of the three selling agents, declined to say whether a buyer had been found.
A Rockdale Council spokesman said a voluntary planning agreement would be binding, regardless of ownership.
